By Craig Hale, September 14, 2016
Alfa Romeo can’t afford to completely overhaul the Mito right now, but it can afford cosmetic upgrades to the 8 year old supermini. That gives Alfa’s marketing department the opportunity to use the terms ‘new’ and ‘more stylish’. But what’s really new? Generic changes to the whole range of Mitos includes a new sports grille, darker headlight bezels, a refreshed rear bumper, new alloy wheel options and a revised finish to the centre console, dashboard and interior trims.
Each model also gets new seat upholsteries, and there’s a new ‘Alfa White’ paint available. The ‘Mito’ badge now uses the same font and style as that of the ‘Giulia’. Entry-level Progression is now just called Mito, and is generously specced. Air conditioning, a 5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth and DAB, a rear spoiler and 16-inch alloys all come as standard.
This is the only model available with the naturally aspirated 1.4-litre 78 hp petrol. It’s also available with the 875cc 105 hp TwinAir engine, the same found in the Fiat 500, and the 1.3-litre JTDM-2 turbodiesel which produces a higher 95 hp (up from 85).
These two engines are also available in the Super trim which replaces the old Distinctive. The Mito Super comes with 17-inch alloys, front fog lights, part-leather upholstery, aluminiumsports pedals, a space saver spare tyre, a centre armrest and rear parking sensors.
There’s also a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol producing 140 hp that’s strictly mated to a dual-clutch automatic transmission. The £750 electric sunroof is a must-have for this model.
Next up is the Speciale which replaces the QV Line. It rivals the likes of the Fiesta ST-Line and Polo R-Line and comes with the same engines as the Super. Alfa’s famous 5-hole alloy wheels measure 17 inches in this guise, and are accompanied by a flat-bottomed steering wheel, part-Alcantara sports seats, dark headlining, privacy glass and red brake callipers.
At the top of the range is the Veloce – it’s essentially a rebranded Quadrifoglio Verde, or to those who are unfamiliar with the brand, rivals the Fiesta ST and Polo GTI. It gains active suspension, 18-inch 5-hole alloys, red Brembo brakes and twin chrome exhaust pipes, as well as an upgraded 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a total output of 170 hp.
Thanks to the dual-clutch automatic, it’s able to get to 62 mph in 7.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 136 mph, not bad for a car of this size. Pricing for the four trim levels vary depending on engine choice, but start from £12,960 (Mito), £16,360 (Super), £17,110 (Speciale) and £20,500 (Veloce).
